…observations from the driver's seat

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Hello class, today’s BOLD Law is…Focus on the Plan, not the Problem…What do you think when you hear this?

We all have plans, not just for our careers, but for our lives…for entreprenuer’s those plans likely look different than for most of the population. What are your plans? Your dreams? Is your plan to change jobs in 2016? Follow your passion into something new? Take the family on an amazing vacation? Do something just for you?

For a REALTOR® like myself, I create and follow a detailed business plan every year and I am fortunate to have a business coach to keep me on track. 2014…I hit my goal and basically stopped following my plan and 2015, while good, did not culminate in my reaching my goal and I learned…that I am the problem! I know what to do, I know what it takes, I just didn’t do it!

My biggest issue is keeping my energy level high enough to continue to work as hard as I do for my clients – I forgot about myself. I know I need time off…to spend with my family, my friends and frankly, myself, to read and relax. I built that time off into my plan for this year and it will be amazing! (Bonus, read the book The Power of Full Engagement to understand a little more)

2016 is about following my plan…things are a little behind, but I fully expect to catch up in the next 3 months. I need only 1 listing or 1 buyer appointment each week – that doesn’t seem so difficult does it? So remember me when if 2016 is about buying or selling a home for you!

What are your 2016 plans…remember, focus on that plan and the problems you feel are in the way will not be insurmountable.

I struggle with my faith. No, I don’t go to church, but I do believe in God, that things are truly in his hands and everything happens for a reason. At 45 I made a decision that has changed my life – I became a licensed realtor and ultimately went into business for myself…you see, my dream has always been to be a CEO and I figured out that I wasn’t going to get there unless I went into business for myself!

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, the BOLD Laws are great and really keep me focused on what is important. The one that leapt from the page today is “Fear or Faith…You Choose” and it inspired this post. I have faith in my abilities, however, blind faith is a challenge I face everyday. One of my Facebook friends posted this and I felt it really spoke to me:

Sometimes God will ask you to do things that you’re afraid of. Just because you’re afraid doesn’t mean you’re not supposed to do it. You have to get out of your comfort zone and do it afraid. If you play it safe all your life, you’ll never reach your full potential. That’s what faith is all about.

My biggest challenge every day is overcoming my fear of failure, however, I am grateful and thankful every day that I am a part of a company which gives me the tools, training and opportunities to grow as well as family and friends who have blind faith in me that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. How can I fail with all of this on my side. My goals for this year are big and I get up every morning and work through my affirmations, my gratitude and start my day in faith…how about you?

It’s that time again…Devour Downtown! Have restaurants you want to try but it seems a bit out of budget? Now is the time to get out and try them! Let’s face it, the weather this week with the warmer temps and no snow is the perfect time.

Visit the Devour Downtown website for a list of the restaurants AND the chance to win a gift card – you can enter DAILY.

Want to make is a night? The Conrad is offering rooms for $149 a night (restrictions apply) and several of the local attractions, including the Indianapolis Symphony are offering special deals. Jump online and check them out!

This is a great opportunity to discover more of Indy’s great downtown…maybe I’ll see you there!

Ever thought about living INSIDE 465? A lot of us do it…Indianapolis has some great suburbs but many want more walkability to restaurants and shops, a lifestyle that doesn’t include getting in the car all the time.

Indy has so many great areas that make up Indianapolis and over the next few weeks I will be profiling many of them. Irvington, Fountain Square, Broad Ripple, Chatham Arch, Mass Ave, Holy Cross, the Old Northside, the Old Southside, Bates Hendricks, Garfield Park, Beech Grove, Speedway, Fletcher Place…I’m certain I’ve missed some!

What’s important about urban living to you? Walkability? Safety? Restaurants? Shopping? Quality of Life? Type of home? Schools? I want to explore them all and share my thoughts!

First up will be Irvington, it holds a special place in my heart since I call it home! What areas do you want to know more about? Let me know!

What is the outlook for our local 2016 real estate market? As an agent, I don’t have a crystal ball, but I do have numbers and studies of market experts providing indicators to make our best guess of the direction of the local real estate market for this year.

Last year was more of a Seller’s Market — meaning the demand for homes was usually higher than the inventory of homes for sale. We move into 2016 with the same low inventory and this results in multiple offers on lots of the homes in some areas and the final sales prices being closer to or above asking price.

It was not and is not an all out Seller’s Market, Seller’s cannot name their price, remember, a home’s value is determined by what someone will pay for it – listing a $200,000 home for $300,000 will not get you $300,000, even with low inventory. With the tightening of federal regulations, lenders being pickier and appraisers being closely scrutinized, the likelihood of a repeat of past history is not there.

The Federal Reserve has not raised the cost of borrowing in nine years. The economy is picking up and experts predict they are likely to begin gradually raising the interest rates. Most agree that sometime in the first quarter of 2016, we will see the increase start. Rates are still at historic lows at the moment so buying now is a smart move if you are on the fence…and you should call me to do it!

Still renting? It is actually cheaper to buy than rent in most areas of the country including ours. Rental rates are increasing at a fast rate. Concerned about your credit score? Have limited funds? or just afraid to find out? You’ll never know until you try, I have several lender partners that I am happy to have you talk to…remember, all discovered is confidential and they will not share your financial information, but are always happy to help you create a plan to work through the issues and get you ready to buy a home! . Wouldn’t you love to stop throwing money away on rent?

After 10 to 15 years of a wild ride in the real estate market, analysts are predicting that “normal” is returning slowly but surely. Distressed (bank owned, shortsales, forclosure) property sales are finally dropping instead of being a huge part of the housing market. New construction is on the rise again and home prices are rising at at a more normal rate.

2016 should be another busy year in the Indianapolis market. If you have been thinking of buying or selling, now is the time to do it. Take advantage of the lower interest rates if you are a buyer. Sellers jump in the market while inventory is still low. Just let me know what I can do to help!

Reading the news online (I refuse to watch it and allow it to take up a lot of my time, but I like to know what’s happening around me), our schools are being threatened, our stores are being robbed, homes are being invaded and people are being murdered…not only in the Indy area, but around the country and around the world. How do you get up everyday and continue living your life in a POSITIVE fashion against such negativity?

For me? Well, limiting my news intake helps! As I mentioned in a post last week, I have big goals this year and at the end of the year took a class that helped me bring clarity to my goals and my life and Clarity is Power!

Today as I sit in my attic office, staying out of the cold and snow, I am pondering how to get the best out of this year, the first BOLD Law that jumped out at me this morning is Come from Contribution – what do you contribute to others? Not necessarily monitarily, but of your time, your experiences…

In 2015, I had the pleasure of being introduced to Michael J. Maher, author of The 7 Levels of Communication, and through him, introduced to the Generosity Generation (Gen-Gen for short). Between the book, written about a real estate agent and mortgage lender, the concepts can be used in many sales driven fields. It takes us back to getting off the computer and back out into meeting people face to face and the joy of writing (yes writing…not typing) hand written notes! It really is nice to get the mail and get something that isn’t bills or junk mail. I encourage you to pick up the book (click here to link straight to the page on Amazon!) and think about how you live your life and run your business.

Really ESPY…Caitlyn Jenner as the Arthur Ashe Courage Award winner? This is a FORMER Olympic Champion who after years of living with the media…well the word I want to use is inappropriate…family and it;s pimp of a momager you decide to become a woman…and that takes courage? More than…

Noah Galloway? Galloway is a U.S. Army veteran. He lost two of his limbs while fighting in the Iraq War. He was given a second chance at life, and most recently competed on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars (he danced himself to third place with the help of Sharna Burgess). Noah (click here to read his story) served our country and is firm believer in giving back to those around him in need, Galloway recently created the No Excuses Charitable Fund, which raises money and awareness for organizations that mean the most to him, including Operation Enduring Warrior and the YMCA of Alabaster, AL Despite what some may call “handicaps” , he continues to compete, participating in adventure races around the country, such as Tough Mudder, Spartan events, Crossfit competitions plus numerous 5K and 10K races.

Lauren Hill? “Never give up.”…this was Lauren’s mantra as she battled a brain tumor and rallied those around her to help her achieve her dream of playing in a NCAA game. Hill attended Mount St. Joseph a Division III school and played after being diagnosed with the inoperable tumor. She spent her final year polishing a layup and inspiring others to live fully. “She taught us that every day is a blessing, every moment is a gift,” school President Tony Aretz said. She did it by showing up for practice even though turning her head made her dizzy and left her physically spent. She appeared in four games, making five layups, before the tumor’s effects forced her to stop. To read more of Lauren’s story click here

There are many other inspiring athlete’s out there, why Jenner? Would love to hear your opinions!